THE Reason (Like There Was Only One)

The once-predictable path of my life was about to take one very sharp turn.  

I had my post-college plans all mapped out when, through a barrage of prompts, confirmations and peace, it seemed God was leading me away from California.

To Boston.

As in "never-been-there-before" Boston.

Like, "3,000-miles-away-from-everything-I'd-ever-known" Boston.

I'm talking "Don't-know-even-one-person-there" Boston.

Let's just say the whole thing sounded like a big slice of Crazy Pie.

But I went.  Just 4 months after I felt God was getting me ready for a move, I boarded a Boston-bound plane.  

And just 7 months after I got off that airplane, I met a young man named Justin Nelson.  I married him the next summer.  

It was almost as though I could hear a huge collective sigh of relief coming from California.  "So THAT'S the reason you were supposed to go to Boston!" I heard.  A lot.  Honestly, I think people were just comforted that something good came out of what they thought was a bat-crap-crazy plan on the front end.  


But THE reason?  Like there was only one?


Seems like when we're in a good situation or even a bad one, people are quick to say, "You're there for a reason."  But I kind of think nothing could be further from the truth.


You're not there for a reason.  You're there for all kinds of reasons.  


How strange to conclude that my 16 months in Boston could be summed up in one reason.


Don't get me wrong--Justin is, by far, the best, most wonderful thing that came from my time in Boston.  But I believe I was also meant to be there for the day-in, day-out stuff, too.


I was supposed to be there for the family I worked for and lived with for a year and a half. 


For the boy I helped raise.


For the sermons I heard at the church I attended there.


For the friendships that were made.


And even for the lonely times so far away from family and friends that forced me to press into Jesus and soak up His Word.


For a million different reasons, I was supposed to go to Boston.  


Before you glaze over at another quoting of Jeremiah 29:11, permit me to point out something I'd never really taken notice of until today:

For I know the *plans* I have for you, 

declares the LORD, 

plans to prosper you and not to harm you, 

plans to give you a hope and future.

Plans.  Plural!  


I don't know where you find yourself today.  But consider the plans--big AND small, that He has for you there.

There's not one reason why you are where you are today.

There are too many to fathom.